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MPRAGE like : A novel approach to generate T1w images from multi‐contrast gradient echo images for brain segmentation
Author(s) -
Fortin MarcAntoine,
Stirnberg Rüdiger,
Völzke Yannik,
Lamalle Laurent,
Pracht Eberhard,
Löwen Daniel,
Stöcker Tony,
Goa Pål Erik
Publication year - 2025
Publication title -
magnetic resonance in medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.696
H-Index - 225
eISSN - 1522-2594
pISSN - 0740-3194
DOI - 10.1002/mrm.30453
Subject(s) - segmentation , gradient echo , psychology , contrast (vision) , neuroimaging , nuclear medicine , medicine , computer science , magnetic resonance imaging , artificial intelligence , neuroscience , radiology
Abstract Purpose Brain segmentation and multi‐parameter mapping (MPM) are important steps in neurodegenerative disease characterization. However, acquiring both a high‐resolution T1w sequence like MPRAGE (standard input to brain segmentation) and an MPM in the same neuroimaging protocol increases scan time and patient discomfort, making it difficult to combine both in clinical examinations. Methods A novel approach to synthesize T1w images from MPM images, named MPRAGE like , is proposed and compared to the standard technique used to produce synthetic MPRAGE images ( syn MPRAGE). Twenty‐three healthy subjects were scanned with the same imaging protocol at three different 7T sites using universal parallel transmit RF pulses. SNR, CNR, and automatic brain segmentation results from both MPRAGE like and syn MPRAGE were compared against an acquired MPRAGE. Results The proposed MPRAGE like technique produced higher SNR values than syn MPRAGE for all regions evaluated while also having higher CNR values for subcortical structures. MPRAGE was still the image with the highest SNR values overall. For automatic brain segmentation, MPRAGE like outperformed syn MPRAGE when compared to MPRAGE (median Dice Similarity Coefficient of 0.90 versus 0.29 and Average Asymmetric Surface Distance of 0.33 versus 2.93 mm, respectively), in addition to being simple, flexible, and considerably more robust to low image quality than syn MPRAGE. Conclusion The MPRAGE like technique can provide a better and more reliable alternative to syn MPRAGE as a substitute for MPRAGE, especially when automatic brain segmentation is of interest and scan time is limited.